Avon HMO Unveils New Supplementary Health Plans for Access to Better Care

The Nigeria Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has commended Avon Healthcare Limited for rolling out a new range of ‘Critical Care Top-Up Plans’ that provides extra protection against severe illnesses.

The plans, which include Avon A.C.E. Global, Avon Revive, Avon Secure and Avon Secure Lite, will aid access to medical cover for critical illnesses and life-threatening health emergencies, mostly uncovered by existing HMO plans.

While lauding the organisation at the launch in Lagos, the General Manager of the NHIA for the Lagos Region, Femi Akingbade, underscored the need for all HMOs in the country to help deepen medical cover.

“Everybody in the country should have a basic minimum plan. Private HMOs are now supposed to sell a top-up to that plan. Avon is being proactive, and that is what we want.

“We want the private HMOs to be in the business of top-ups. What is missing in the basic minimum package is what the HMOs should concentrate on selling,” he emphasised.

He also congratulated Avon Healthcare for taking a bold step as the first company to go beyond the basic minimum package defined in the National Health Act and launch the supplementary and complementary top-ups.

Addressing stakeholders and the media, the CEO of Avon HMO, Adesimbo Ukiri, noted that the new Critical Care Top-up health plans are designed to provide people with extra protection from severe or terminal illnesses at an affordable premium.

She explained: “These health plans have been designed to cater to a wide range of people at various income levels by providing them with increased coverage for hospitalisation, treatment and required rehabilitation in the event of critical, acute, and life-threatening health conditions and emergencies.

She listed their benefits, including coverage for all consultations, necessary investigations, medications and other treatments necessary for conditions such as cancer, renal failure, heart attack, and stroke, among others.

According to Ukiri, having a plan from this range can be the difference between life and death for many Nigerians, especially as they would not have to resort to crowdfunding on social media to pay hefty medical bills.

That is why the critical care top-up plans also provide support services like care coordination across reputable hospitals nationwide, case management by experienced medical professionals, and post-treatment rehabilitation.

She also mentioned that the plans are incredibly versatile because they offer Nigerians many options and advantages, even if they are already subscribed to state, federal or private health insurance plans.

She added: “For people on health plans with coverage limits that barely cover serious illnesses and acute conditions, our critical care top-up plans are a valuable addition.

“They are also perfect for people who claim never to fall ill but still want the peace of mind that comes with having a health plan that adequately covers sudden and critical health emergencies.”

With these new health plans, Avon HMO further cemented its position as an industry leader and a company of many firsts to provide health plans for the retail market segment, individuals, couples, and families that did not belong to any corporate organisation.

“The new plans are yet another demonstration of Avon HMO’s commitment to empowering people to live healthier, fuller lives by providing them with access to healthcare services when needed, without the financial burden becoming a life-threatening obstacle,” the CEO expressed.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Group Chairman of Heirs Holdings Limited, Tony Elumelu, described health as critical to the prosperity of a nation.

In his words, “Avon HMO has gone beyond health management services. They have been pushing enlightenment, education, and insure us.

“I commend the team and recommend the top-up products that they have just unveiled to everyone, irrespective of the HMO that they use.”